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Utah Expedition (1857-1858)

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1857 - 1858

Administravtive History

The Utah Expedition (1857-1858) was a bloodless military conflict between the Mormon militia, referred to as the Nauvoo Legion, and the Unites States government over the installation of a new governor in the Utah Territory.

From May 1857 to July 1858, the Utah Expedition, otherwise known as Utah War, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, Mormon War, or Mormon Rebellion, was a result of President Buchanan’s decision to replace Governor Brigham Young with Governor Alfred Cumming. The Presidency feared the Mormon community would not accept a non-Mormon governor, resulting in the suspension of mail to Utah and 2,500 troops accompanying Cumming’s journey. Upon news of advancing troops Utah men were called to bear arms and Northern communities were evacuated. After several months of this standard, and continually hoping for peace, the Mormon leader’s willingness to accept Cumming was heard. The agreement ended with the installation of Governor Cumming and a permanent government garrison near Salt Lake City in exchange for peace and amnesty.

Citation:
LCCN 58011786: Hafen, L.R. The Utah expedition, 1857-1858, 1958(hdg.: Utah Expedition, 1857-1858)

Wikipedia, viewed February 11, 2013 :(Utah Expedition, also known as the Utah War, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, Mormon War, Mormon Rebellion, was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers and the United States Government, from May 1857 to July 1858, located in Utah and Wyoming)

Encyclopedia.com, April 20, 2016(Mormon Expedition of 1857-1858; was a federal force sent by President James Buchanan to force the Mormons, led by Brigham Young, to obey federal laws ; Utah Expedition)

OCLC, April 20, 2016(access point: Utah Expedition (1857-1858); usage: Utah Expedition; Utah War; Utah Campaign; Buchanan's Blunder; Mormon War; Mormon Rebellion; Mormon Expedition)

Library of Congress, via WWW, Feb. 12, 2018 (Utah Expedition, also known as the Utah War, Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, Mormon War, Mormon Rebellion, was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers and the United States Government, from May 1857 to July 1858, located in Utah and Wyoming; Mormon Expedition of 1857-1858; was a federal force sent by President James Buchanan to force the Mormons, led by Brigham Young, to obey federal laws)

Mormon Encyclopedia, via WWW, Feb. 12, 2018 (Mormon militia, called the Nauvoo Legion, vs. United States government in a bloodless but costly confrontation; President James Buchanan to replace Brigham Young as governor of Utah Territory; It delayed, but did not prevent, the installation of Governor Alfred Cumming; Buchanan thought Latter-day Saints would reject a non-Mormon governor; mail to Utah suspended and 2,500 troops with Cumming to Great Salt Lake City; Utah communities were called upon to equip a thousand men; President Young announced on March 23, 1858, that all settlements in northern Utah must be abandoned and prepared for burning if the army came in; Church leaders willing to accept Cumming and a permanent army garrison in exchange for peace and amnesty)

Found in 6 Collections and/or Records:

Elias Hicks Blackburn papers

 Collection — Box 1: [Barcode: 31197233294799], Folder: 2, 3, 6
Identifier: Vault MSS 785
Scope and Contents Contains records on the early ecclesiastical history of Provo, Utah. Records include accounts of sermons of the period by several prominent leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the Mormon Reformation, and document the response of the community, including rebaptisms and Church disciplinary matters. Also includes Blackburn's personal family record, and records of donations by Loa (Utah) Ward members for the building of the Manti Temple during Blackburn's tenure as...
Dates: 1851-1887
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Elias Hicks Blackburn papers

George Q. Cannon correspondence and record book

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS SC 323
Scope and Contents

Two ALS's to "Brother Elias" from Cannon concerning the accounts at a general store in Fillmore, Utah and a handwritten account book from the same store dated April to September, 1858.

Dates: 1858
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / George Q. Cannon correspondence and record book

Kane family collection

 Collection
Identifier: MSS 3190
Abstract The Thomas L. and Elizabeth W. Kane family collection, 1835-1931, contains a series of materials relating primarily to Thomas, Elizabeth, and three of their four children: Harriet Amelia Kane, Elisha Kent Kane, and Evan O'Neill Kane. Among these is an American Civil War pocketbook kept by Thomas L. Kane; an original patriarchal blessing given to Thomas at Council Bluffs by Mormon patriarch John Smith and recorded by Wilford Woodruff; a letter sent from Brigham Young to Thomas when the latter...
Dates: approximately 1835-1931
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Kane family collection

J. W. Phelps diaries

 Collection — Box 1: [Barcode: 31197231044501]
Identifier: MSS 2318
Scope and Contents These diaries are photocopied from a microfilm copy of the handwritten originals. Phelps kept the diaries primarily when he was involved in the Utah Expedition from 1857 to 1858 and the subsequent military occupation of Utah from 1858 to 1859. These items are volumes 15 to 26 of his diaries. Phelps writes about going to Utah "for suppression of the Mormons." He makes many negative comments on the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He tells about the expedition...
Dates: 1857-1859
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / J. W. Phelps diaries

Thomas L. Kane newspaper clippings on Mormons, 1858-1859

 Sub-Series — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Vault MSS 792 Series 3 Sub-Series 14
Scope and Contents

Contains newspaper clippings on the Mormons collected by Kane. Includes information on the development of Utah, the Mormon Church, and the Utah Expedition. Some articles discuss Kane's role in the settlement of the crisis. Materials date from between 1858 and 1859.

Dates: Majority of material found within 1858-1859
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / Vault MSS 792, Kane family papers / Thomas L. Kane papers on the Mormons

John Stillman Woodbury diaries

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 168
Scope and Contents

Handwritten diaries for the years 1851, 1853 to 1855, 1857, and 1876 to 1877. These are all missionary journals kept on various missions for the Mormon Church to Hawaii. Woodbury comments on visits from Mormon Church Apostles and writes about leaving Utah for Hawaii during the Mormon "Reformation" in 1857 and being called to return to face the approach of the U.S. Army.

Dates: 1851-1877
Found in: L. Tom Perry Special Collections / John Stillman Woodbury diaries

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